A one-day sensitisation workshop on ‘Bio-Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Management in Life Sciences’ was held on August 2 at the Mini Golden Jubilee Auditorium, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong.
This event, which drew 175 participants including startups, entrepreneurs, faculty, scientists, scholars, and students from Shillong and its surrounding areas, was jointly organised by the BioNEST Facility at NEHU, the IPR Cell at NEHU, and the BioNEST Facility at the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) & BRDC.
The workshop aimed to provide valuable insights and foster discussions on bio-entrepreneurship and intellectual property (IP) rights, as well as to promote the forthcoming Global Bio-India (GBI) 2024 event, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from September 12 to 14.
Prof. Indrajit Dube, Vice-Chancellor of the National Law University, Meghalaya in his speech as chief guest provided an insightful overview of various categories of Intellectual Property Rights, stressing the significance of protecting innovations, specialised local products, and plant varieties.
Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director of IBSD, delivered the keynote address, elaborating on IBSD’s efforts in the North East region for the sustainable utilisation of bio-resources aimed at enhancing local livelihoods.
Dr. Vinita Jindal, Deputy General Manager and Head – IP & Technology Management Division at BIRAC, New Delhi, captivated the audience with information on BIRAC’s funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators, ranging from ideation to commercialisation.
Dr. Jindal also promoted the GBI 2024 platform, encouraging Meghalaya’s entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and cultural heritage on a global stage. Additionally, she guided the audience through essential IPR concepts, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, design, trade secrets, and geographical indications, and demonstrated the process of patent search.
In a subsequent technical session, Suvarna Pandey, Associate Partner at RNA Technology and IP Attorneys, provided a detailed exploration of the patent filing process, including criteria for patentability, novelty determination, and the rights of innovators, supported by real-life case studies. She also discussed the importance of plant variety protection and farmers’ rights within the legal framework.
Dr. S Majaw, Centre In-Charge, BioNEST Branch Office and Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, NEHU moderated the event.
Dr. A K Singh, Coordinator of the IPR Cell and Associate Professor, Department of Law, NEHU, delivered the concluding remarks, highlighting India’s growing innovation portfolio and the notable increase in Intellectual Property registrations.
Dr. B K Mishra, Project Investigator at the BioNEST Facility, NEHU and Head, Department of RDAP, NEHU, Tura Campus, expressed gratitude to the distinguished speakers for their valuable contributions.
Throughout the day, participants engaged actively with speakers, which facilitated enriching networking opportunities.
The workshop concluded on a positive note, equipping attendees with essential insights and fostering new connections within the bio-entrepreneurship and IP landscape.
